Recession and bankruptcy aren't enough to tone down the annual fourth of July fireworks show at Ala Moana Park.
The show will go on as spectacular and as expensive as ever.
Saturday will be the 18th consecutive year of the free fireworks show, paid for by the merchants at Ala Moana Center and their landlord General Growth Properties. The mall doesn't want to say exactly how much it costs, but it's in the six-figure range. With the recession and General Growth recently declaring bankruptcy, there was talk of whether the show should go on.
"But we talked to management we talked to our merchants and they unanimously decided that they want to keep this fireworks show because it is so important to the community, to the people of Hawaii and obviously all of the surrounding businesses that count on it," said the center's marketing director, Jasmine Tso.
So organizers say they're not cutting back on this year's show. In fact Pyrospectaculars, the company that puts it together, says 30 percent of the fireworks will be new. More effects with even more dazzling shapes.
Sherry Souza of Pyrospectaculars says, "There's V shapes and Z shapes and fan shapes and it's not just go up in the air and break it's boom boom boom right across back and forth and back and forth."
As always, Ala Moana Center will bring in live entertainment for the day, to entice the crowd to shop at the mall. But it's not just merchants in the mall who benefit from the fireworks display.
"Surrounding hotels are literally sold out a year before. They're selling their hotel rooms at rack rate which is basically top dollar, surrounding restaurants, the cruise ships, the the different ferries and such that have the dinner cruises," said Tso.
Some 50 thousand people are expected to watch the show from Ala Moana Park, the mall and surrounding areas. It was just recognized as one of the country's 10 best by Travel and Leisure Magazine, which was news to Souza and her busy crew.
Souza adds, "We've been kind of been in our little show mode bubble here, oblivious to the rest of the world. So to us this news is just phenomenal we're excited, we're very honored."
The show starts at 8:30 p.m and will last 18 minutes.
The city will temporarily suspend the overnight closure of Ala Moana Beach Park Friday night, giving the public a chance to save a spot for fourth of July celebrations.
Permits are not being issued for July 3rd and fourth, so all picnic areas are up for grabs on a first-come first-served basis.
Camping gear may not be set up ahead of time and vehicles must leave the parking lot by 10 Friday night.
Vehicles will be allowed back inside at 4 Saturday morning, the 4th of July.
